ester local anesthetic, a class of local anesthetics with an ester chemical group that differentiates it from the amide group of local anesthetics. They are metabolized primarily by pseudocholinesterase. Because of rapid metabolism, most ester local anesthetics have a relatively short duration of action with the exception of tetracaine. Kinds include benzocaine, chloroprocaine, cocaine hydrochloride, procaine hydrochloride, Nesacaine™, tetracaine hydrochloride.
